Vietnam’s budget carrier Vietjet will join many international airlines to suspend flights to mainland China from next month, at a time when a novel coronavirus pandemic is raging in the country.

Vietjet will stop flying to China, starting on Feburary 1, the carrier said on Friday.

National carrier Vietnam Airlines and its subsidiary Jetstar Pacific Airlines have yet to make any annoucement regarding their cessation of flights to China.

However, Vietnam Airlines has provided its crews with medical gloves and face masks for use on flights to and from China.  

Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific Airlines, and Vietjet Air together operate 87 regular and charter flights to 54 destinations in China, averaging 401 services a week.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has ceased flights to and from Wuhan, the epicenter of the ongoing novel coronavirus epidemic, since January 23. 

Since the outbreak in December last year, many carriers have canceled their flights to China until late March. Beijing and Shanghai have been hit the hardest by the cancelations.

British Airways was the first carrier to announce a cut-off of its China flights.

Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Austria Airlines, Finnair, Air Canada, United Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Lion Air, Air Seoul, and more are amongst the other airlines having suspended their flights to most populated cities in China.

The flag carrier Kazakhstan Air Astana has also confirmed the cancelation of its China services from February 3, while the government of Kazakhstan is tightening its traffic control with China.

Air Canada says that the carrier will halt flights to China and advises passengers to reschedule or cancel their trips to the East Asian country.

Air France also publishes a statement on its official website, ceasing all flights to and from China until February 9.

Airlines have worked closely with authorities such as healthcare departments, quarantine teams, airport controls, and others, while strictly following the medical processes and guidelines regulated by the World Health Organization in order to prevent the spread of the disease, ensuring safety for flight crews, passengers, and the entire community.

The WHO on Thursday declared the novel coronavirus a global emergency, as it has infected nearly 10,000 cases and killed 213 people in China, while spreading to 18 countries and territories since the first outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

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